A week in the life of three young Devon NHS apprentices

Three staff members at the Northern, Eastern and Western Devon Clinical Commissioning Group (NEW Devon CCG) are taking to social media to spread the word of how they benefited from an apprenticeship with the NHS.

It comes as National Apprenticeship Week takes place from 3-7 March.

Howard Stamp, 21, from Chudleigh Knighton, and Nikki Stafford, 20, from Newton Abbot, both joined the organisation as apprentices and impressed so much they were appointed to full time roles at the CCG following an interview process.

Georgina Catling, 23, from Exeter, is four months into her 13-month apprenticeship. All three work for the CCG’s department responsible for patient safety and quality.

Safety systems officer Howard Stamp, who now line manages an apprentice, said his apprenticeship benefited him so much that he wanted to give something back by telling others how great it was.

“I have developed so much in my job thanks to my apprenticeship and would definitely recommend it to others,” he said.

“This is why we wanted to do something a bit different and keep a Twitter diary during National Apprenticeships Week to show people how they could benefit too.

“The CCG and my apprenticeship mentors at ETS (Education, Training, Skills) have given me such fantastic support that has helped me with my job and most importantly helped me to put individuals at the centre of everything I do.”

Georgina Catling, who provides safety systems support, said: “Being given the chance to gain qualifications while doing the day job is fantastic and makes me feel a valued part of the team.

“With the opportunities already offered to me, I have become a much more career minded, focused individual with a passion for my job and I have a real sense of gratitude towards the CCG.

“I constantly want to improve my skills and I’m determined to make sure that the individual benefits from everything that I do.”

Administrative assistant Nikki Stafford, said she had found being an apprentice within the NHS incredibly insightful and interesting.

“I have always wanted to develop my skills and gain further qualifications whilst working and this apprenticeship enabled me to do so,” she said.

“I am grateful for being given the opportunity and am pleased that after completing my apprenticeship I was able to secure a full time position with the CCG in a team with direct impact on patients. I would highly recommend others to look into apprenticeships and ETS is a great place to start.”

Since 2010 the CCG’s Devon Referral Support Services (DRSS), which manages GP referrals into hospitals and other NHS services, has employed 50 apprentices, 49 of which still work for the NHS in some capacity.

The CCG’s work with apprentices at the DRSS has led to other apprentices employed throughout the organisation. Out of the CCG’s workforce of 420, five per cent of staff are current apprentices and nearly 15 per cent are current or former apprentices.

Dr Tim Burke, a GP from Devon and chair of NEW Devon CCG, said: “I’m very proud that our organisation has employed so many committed apprentices, most of them young people who are taking one of the first steps of their career.

“Apprentices have a great deal to offer the NHS and we want to encourage young people who want a career in the NHS to consider this, whether that be at a hospital or clinical setting or in an administrative role.”

If you want to follow Howard, Nikki and Georgina during the week their Twitter accounts are: @Howard_NEWDevon, @Nikki_NEWDevon and @George_NEWDevon.

If you are interested in working for NEW Devon CCG, go to http://www.newdevonccg.nhs.uk/who-we-are/working-for-us/100097 or for the NHS in general to go: https://www.jobs.nhs.uk (note the new NHS Jobs site launches on 4 March)

To find out more about National Apprenticeship Week visit www.apprenticeships.org.uk